Series: Cobalt Empire Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 215301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 861(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 861(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” Phoenix nods. “That’s who I thought you were pointing…out.” His voice wavers, then he goes rigid. His jaw muscle tics as we watch Leo leave the wealthy donor and saunter toward me.
Justice. I am not overreacting.
I withhold the immature “told you so” response, even if it’s aching to be set free. Sweat builds beneath my suit, and I scan for Beckett, unsure if I want to find him or not.
Leo slides a casual hand through his dirty-blond hair. His ugly smile is too self-satisfied. He carries himself like he’s immune to all common colds and diseases. I literally cannot believe I even momentarily crushed on him.
I can’t believe I crushed on anyone but Phoenix. Everyone has become so unattractive in comparison to my boyfriend.
Quickly, I whisper to him, “I promised Beckett I’d never interact with Leo.”
“Then don’t say anything,” Phoenix tells me fast.
Leo stops in front of us, loosening the bowtie of his black tux. “Fifth-born little Cobalt,” he greets rudely.
“We are the same height, dude,” I retort.
Phoenix side-eyes me like, so much for not talking.
“Age,” Leo emphasizes, then arches his brows at Phoenix’s eviscerating glare. “Did I do something to you?”
“Depends on how the next five seconds go.”
Leo’s smile stretches, his eyes pinging from me to Phoenix, back to me. “Did you find yourself a boyfriend?” I hate how condescending he says it—like I’m in sixth grade with a locker room crush.
It pierces a sensitive part of me that I don’t want Leo touching. Instead of becoming angrily defensive, I just shut down completely.
Taller than Leo, Phoenix straightens his posture into a towering stance. His voice cuts, deep and biting. “Don’t talk to him,” he warns. “Don’t even fucking look at him, man.”
“Ohhh-kay, okay.” Leo lifts his hands in defense, then checks cautiously over his shoulder since this is his place of work. “I’m just teasing him.”
“Tease someone else.”
Leo weaves his arms loosely. “Toooom,” he draws out my name to capture my gaze. Fuck him. “We’re cool. No harm, no foul. Yeah?”
“What’d I say?” Phoenix steps forward in threat, and I smile for one second before Beckett appears, flipping my stomach inside-out.
Beckett puts a hand to Phoenix’s chest. “Pas ici, d’accord?” Not here, okay?
Phoenix steps back beside me and outstretches an incensed hand at Leo. “Il est en train de provoquer ton frère, Beckett.” He’s antagonizing your brother, Beckett.
“Je vais m’occuper de lui.” I’ll deal with him.
“Uh-huh,” Leo nods with a tongue-cluck. “Well, this secret conversation is so interesting. Riveting material.” He cocks his head to Beckett. “You forgot to mention your little brother has a boyfri—”
“Do not,” Beckett forces. His glare is a lethal injection, a thing of real beauty.
Leo reads his face, then stiffens as if he’s being turned to stone. He slides a hand through his hair, and Beckett never loosens his penetrating gaze from him.
“Take him fucking down, Beckett Joyce,” I say quietly.
Leo snaps a look at Beckett. “You want to take me down, Cobalt? I’d love to see the attempt. Maybe the drama will insert some charisma into your dancing for once.”
“Go away.” Beckett’s tone is frostbite.
Still, I pipe in, “That means fuck off and good riddance.”
“Does it?” Leo smiles only at Beckett. “I thought it meant—” He cuts himself off as Beckett shifts with visceral heat, forcing Leo to take several steps away from me.
Leo backs up, staring Beckett down, and then they exchange murmured words that likely stab and slash.
I’m positive Beckett comes out with the W. He always defeats Leo in their rivalry. Middle-aged donors in dapper suits suddenly seize both of their attention and pull them away. Leo layers on the fakest smile while Beckett maintains an impassive expression.
They’re now halfway across the ballroom. Out of earshot, but not eyesight.
“That’s Leo,” I say to Phoenix. “Asshole, right?”
He’s quiet, his brows furrowed. Until he asks, “How long have they been fucking?”
“What?” Shock lurches my internal organs. “Not at all. Beckett is straight, dude.”
Phoenix looks at me. I can’t even decipher that look. I feel woozy all of a sudden. Maybe it’s the painkillers.
I scratch at my temple. “What’s that look?” I ask him.
“I’m starting to understand how you thought I was straight.”
“No,” I shake my head vigorously, then lower my voice to a strained whisper. “Beckett would’ve told me if he slept with a guy. He would’ve…” My pulse almost flatlines. Would he have? He’s so private. If he told anyone, he would’ve shared with Charlie, but why keep this a secret from me? I wouldn’t have shared with a soul, not even Eliot.
And why am I so hurt that he kept this to himself? He was under no obligation to tell me if he wasn’t ready to. Still, my eyes sting, and my heart suddenly weighs a hundred pounds. It might as well be on the fucking floor.
“Hey, maybe I’m wrong, Tom,” Phoenix whispers. “It’s just a hunch.”